


Peter Can't Keep a Secret

by Craftybadger1234



Series: Missing and odd moments: Third Year [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Deception, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fidelius Charms, Hogwarts Third Year, Manipulation, Strong Woman/Weak Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 06:46:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16012475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Craftybadger1234/pseuds/Craftybadger1234
Summary: Peter voluntarily shares the secret of where the Potters are.





	Peter Can't Keep a Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to CleopatraIsMyName for looking this over for me! 
> 
> Honestly, I am made of questions about the night the Potters died. The details are sketchy at best. Sirius knew where the Potter house was? So was the location of their physical bodies the secret? I don’t understand.
> 
> In any case, Peter spilled the secret and he had to have done it voluntarily. Here’s my take on that, trying to make Peter a little better than he is usually portrayed.
> 
> I tagged this Third Year, because that's when the sordid story came to light.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ch 10: _”The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find - unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window.”_

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ch 19: _”The night they died, I’d arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he’d gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn’t feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents’ house straightaway.”_

\--------

“You’re dating a muggle?” James asked. He rocked back and forth, a sleepy Harry in his arms.

Peter just shrugged, “Yeah... She’s sweet and I like her.”

James’s face scrunched up. “But no magic at all? Really?”

“Yeah, so? My dad was a muggleborn. I know how to act like a muggle.”

“Fine, play at being a muggle with Miss Anna Lane. We don’t care. Look at this, for Harry. What do you think?” He tossed a bundle to Peter.

“I don’t think Lily is going to let him wear a romper that says ‘Buck Off.’”

\--------

“Peter! You’re a little early. Dinner’s almost ready. You doing all right?”

“I’ll be fine, Anna. Just having… trouble… with some friends.”

“You poor thing. Want to tell me about it? Sit here and I’ll bring dinner.”

“Well it’s… I don’t know how… I have this friend, James, and he’s kind of in trouble with some bad people…”

“That’s awful! What kind of trouble?”

\--------

“Peter! I’m so glad you’re here! Someone followed me home!”

“Followed you?”

“Yes! This large man with black hair and a wicked scar on his face.”

“A - a scar on his face?”

“I was so scared! I ran up the stairs and locked the door. It took almost an hour for him to finally leave!”

“I think he’s - he’s one of - the men that are after my friend James.”

“But what would they want with me?”

“Maybe they’re using you to get to me?”

“Oh Peter! You can protect me? Can’t you?”

“Erm…”

“Maybe if you - you went to their leader…”

“I can’t!”

“Not even to protect me?”

\--------

“You - “ he cleared his throat, “You-Know-Who said you’ll be safe here, Anna.”

“Thank you, Peter! I’m so lucky to have you to take care of me!”

“I’d do anything for you!”

“And you’re sure they won’t come after me again?”

“No, I told them a few things - nothing they couldn’t find out from someone else. But he promised he’d keep you safe as long as I proved useful. Which I think I can. I mean, I know some things and - and James knows how to protect himself. Anything to keep you safe.”

\--------

“... And so they’re having to move _again_ and - and now they think _I_ should be the only one that knows where to find them. And I don’t know what to think about that.”

“Peter! That’s incredible! They must trust you so much! You’re so brilliant to work as a double agent like that! I’m so grateful you’ve done so much to keep me safe. Surely once you tell _him_ where they are, they’ll never hurt me again, right?”

“But at the expense of my friends?”

“What kind of friends are they if they put you in this dangerous position? Shouldn’t they have made what’s-his-name… Sirius? Shouldn’t they have made Sirius take the risk? Why do they always make you do the dangerous things?”

“Well it’s - “

“This isn’t your war, Peter! Just tell _him_ what you know, and then it’s all over! We could run away together if you weren’t caught up in it all anymore. Wouldn’t you like that? Just you and me?”

\--------

“Anna!” Peter exclaimed when he opened the door. He yanked her inside and slammed the door. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the safe house!”

“I can’t take it there anymore!” She dabbed at her eye with a handkerchief and pushed past him to the sofa, moving awkwardly. “I’m stuck there day in and day out and can’t see any of my friends or anything!”

“I know! I’m sorry. It’s just until I figure this out! He’s - he’s been asking me about James and I just can’t - “

“Just tell him where they are!”

“I can’t!”

“I’m beginning to think you don’t love me as much as you claim!” She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

“Of course I do! Anna, please…” Tentatively he reached for her, but she shook his arm off. Peter stood, wringing his hands, pleading, “Anna...”

She shivered and straightened. When she turned to him, there was a hard glint in her eye. No longer any signs of tears. Her lips spread in a smile but it was predatory rather than enticing. Running her hands up his chest and around his neck, she sighed, “Oh Peter. It’s all right if you can’t tell him. I understand.”

Peter sighed in relief.

Anna leaned in to nuzzle his nose. “You silly thing. Maybe you could just tell me. You can do that, right?”

“But, erm, even if I told you, you couldn’t tell anyone.” He hadn’t explained to her about the Fidelius Charm, only that he had a secret he couldn’t share. 

“Oh I won’t tell a soul! But this way, you wouldn’t have to shoulder that burden alone.” She brushed a light kiss on his cheek and whispered, “Please… tell me… I already know they’re here, in Godric’s Hollow.”

Peter gave another broken sigh. It _would_ be nice to tell someone. And if Anna knew, he could tell her about his visits with the Potters. “It’s - it’s on the lane, leading out from town…” As he spoke, she gripped him tighter and tighter. He described the road and the house and the terrible burden it was to be their only contact with the outside world. 

“Oh Peter,” Anna said with a maniacal grin. “You are indeed the best of them all!”

Anna wrenched herself away from Peter and lifted her sleeve, revealing a pale arm covered in an intricate tattoo.

“No! _No_!” Peter yelled, watching her grin and press a finger to the Dark Mark. “That’s impossible!”

The house shook with magic as the protective wards were broken. Anna’s face and clothing melted and reformed into Lord Voldemort.

“Dear Pettigrew,” he rasped. “So clever. So useful.” Voldemort grinned and pulled his wand.

Before a curse could be thrown, a loud crack startled Peter. There was Anna, _his_ Anna. Apparating into his house. Her beautiful face twisted up in an ugly snarl.

“Peter Pettigrew,” she spat, “finally proving his worth.” 

“Anna?” Peter shook his head. “But you’re a - a - “

“A muggle?” she cackled. “Oh yes, I played the part rather well, wouldn’t you say?” She put on a high, girlish voice, “Oh Peter, you’re so brave. Peter, you’re so brilliant. Peter, you’re so special.” She spat on the floor. “You’re a useless wizard and a worthless friend. But you’re an excellent informant.”

“Anna - I don’t understand - I thought - “

“Of course you don’t understand,” Voldemort said calmly. “You’re too stupid to see what’s right in front of you. You thought you were so clever, lying to me about what you knew. Ah, but what you told your dear Anna Lane - “

“Annette Yaxley,” she corrected.

“Now that was truly useful. And this, most of all.” Voldemort stepped close to Peter and yanked his arm forward. “You’ll be rewarded accordingly.”

Peter screamed and cried as a searing pain wracked his whole body. He fell to the floor, cradling his arm. The fabric was burned away revealing the hideous Dark Mark in a vivid red. “No,” he said feebly. “No, it can’t be.”

“But it is indeed. Come, Peter. You can still be of service.” Voldemort flicked his wand at Peter and he was launched to his feet. He swayed ever so slightly but held his stance. “The night is young and we have special _friends_ to visit.”


End file.
